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Thursday, June 26, 2014

Oklahoma’s regents did more than approve $370 million in upgrades to Gaylor Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Wednesday.

According to the Oklahoma’s Jason Kersey, coach Bob Stoops will make $39.9 million over the seven seasons remaining on his newly-reworked contract, including crossing the $6 million threshold in 2019 and 2020.

In the immediate future, Stoops will earn $5.25 million in 2014. According to USA Today’s coaching salary database, only three coaches made more than $5 million in 2013: Nick Saban, Mack Brown and Bret Bielema. Brown’s replacement, Charlie Strong, is slated to make $5 million in 2014 while Texas A&M’s Kevin Sumlin will earn $5 million this year as well.

The bump over $5 million puts Stoops in rarefied air, though he’s earned it over his 15-year tenure in Norman. Oklahoma has only won fewer than 10 games three times under Stoops, has nine top-10 finishes and won a BCS title in 2000. While the Sooners have a storied football history, they weren’t a player on the national scene for about a decade before Stoops arrived in 1999.

With quarterback Trevor Knight — you know, the guy who dismantled Alabama in the Sugar Bowl — Oklahoma’s a trendy early pick to contend for a spot in the first-ever College Football Playoff this fall.